SEVENTEEN expats have been arrested carrying drugs in May and 10 more in June at Suvarnabhumi Airport, a Customs officer in Bangkok said today. His comments followed the arrest of two Pakistani ''mules'' with heroin secreted in their stomachs. Those two confessed to having carried drugs to Phuket about 10 times. The Customs officer, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Phuketwan that cases involving possession of drugs had increased more than 40 percent.

The two men arrested yesterday in transit to Phuket had tried to take advantage of less stringent security at Phuket, where checks were similar to the other holiday destinations of Krabi, Haad Yai and Samui. Most cocaine came from Afghanistan, yah ice from Iran, ketamine from India and heroin from Pakistan, he said. Checks were more stringent for arrivals than departures, he said.


PHUKET police are waiting to hear whether two drugs ''mules'' arrested at Suvarnabhumi International Airport yesterday in possession of large amounts of heroin have named a Mr Big Phuket drug dealer.

The pair have confessed and told police that they had made similar journeys more than 10 times. They said they were hired by an unidentified contact and paid $US1000 for every trip.

People arriving and departing Phuket can expect closer scrutiny in the wake of the successful drugs pounce in Bangkok..

Fresh off a flight from Karachi, the two Pakistanis were detained by Customs officers as they waited to board a connecting flight to Phuket after a tipoff.

Police say no drugs were found when a search was conducted of the men's clothing and baggage.

But x-ray scans revealed that the mens' stomachs contained suspicious small packages. Forced to pass the contents, police found 1.4 kilos of heroin had been packaged in small sausage-skin like containers inside the bodies of the men.

The pair were named as Ahmed Sted Asad, 46, and Iqeal Muhammad Abid, 44, and their haul was valued at close to five million baht.

The men, now in the hands of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, have refused to disclose the name of the dealer, who is believed to be on Phuket.

An Immigration officer on Phuket told Phuketwan today that cocaine, heroin and yah ice were being trafficked to Phuket and other holiday destinations in Thailand because scanning of all passengers was no yet standard procedure.